Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Junior’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spathiphyllum  plant named ‘Junior’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly arching plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; broad dark green-colored leaves; white-colored spathes and creamy white-colored spadices that are positioned above the foliage on strong and erect peduncles; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Spathiphyllum hybrid cultivar Junior.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Junior.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned and controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Nootdorp, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Spathiphyllum cultivars with dark green foliage, freely flowering habit and spathes held above the foliage.

The new cultivar originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 1998 of the Spathiphyllum hybrid cultivar Jetty, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,957, as the female or seed parent and a proprietary Spathiphyllum hybrid selection identified as code number 117, not patented, as the male or pollen parent. The cultivar Junior was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Nootdorp, The Netherlands, in May, 1999.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tissue culture since May, 1999, in a laboratory in Nootdorp, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Spathiphyllum has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Junior’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Junior’ as a new and distinct Spathiphyllum cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly arching plant habit.     -   2. Freely clumping growth habit.     -   3. Broad dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. White-colored spathes and creamy white-colored spadices that         are positioned above the foliage on strong and erect peduncles.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are most similar to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Jetty. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Nootdorp, The Netherlands, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differed from plants of the cultivar Jetty in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum were more compact than plants         of the cultivar Jetty.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum had shorter leaves than         plants of the cultivar Jetty.     -   3. Spathes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum were whiter in         color than spathes of plants of the cultivar Jetty.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can be compared to plants of the male parent, the proprietary selection identified as code number 117. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Nootdorp, The Netherlands, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum were more compact than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum had more rounded leaves than         plants of the male parent selection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Spathiphyllum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Junior’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Junior’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Junior’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe seven month old plants (from planting rooted tissue-cultured plantlets) grown in Nootdorp, The Netherlands, in a glass-covered greenhouse and under commercial production conditions in 12-cm containers with one plant per container. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were about 22° C. and night temperatures were about 20° C.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum hybrid cultivar Junior. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Spathiphyllum hybrid cultivar Jetty,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,957.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Spathiphyllum hybrid selection             identified as code number 117, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots on a tissue-cultured cutting.—About             three weeks at 20 to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a fully-rooted tissue-cultured             plantlet.—About seven weeks at 20 to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Primary roots, thick and fleshy; lateral             branch roots, finer; primary and lateral roots white in             color and abundant. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant shape.—Compact, upright and outwardly arching plant             habit; inverted triangle.         -   Growth habit.—Erect when young, becoming outwardly arching             as leaves develop. Freely clumping; about five clumps per             plant; moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 39 cm from soil level to top of leaf             plane and about 47 cm from soil level to spathe apices.         -   Plant spread.—About 52 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Length: About 20.6 cm. Width: About             11.6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse to             attenuate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Aspect:             Initially upright, then outwardly arching. Surface: Midrib             and lateral veins sunken on upper surface and prominent on             lower surface; upper surface of blade convex between veins,             lower surface of blade concave between veins; upper and             lower surfaces rugose. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Somewhat leathery; glabrous and smooth. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Between             137A and 139A. Developing leaves, lower surface: 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than 139A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: 137A. Midvein and lateral             veins, upper surface: Darker than 139A. Midvein and lateral             veins, lower surface: 144B. Petiole: Length: About 13 cm.             Diameter, just below the geniculum: About 3.5 mm. Diameter,             at soil level: About 7 mm. Geniculum length: About 2.8 mm.             Geniculum diameter: About 4 mm. Geniculum aspect: Straight             to slightly curved. Wing length: About 10.8 cm. Wing             diameter: About 6.5 mm. Color: Petiole: 137A to 137B.             Geniculum: 139B to 144C. Wing: 137A to 139A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement/quantity.—Concave spathes with             spadices held above the foliage on strong and erect             peduncles. About three open spathes per plant at one time;             inflorescences arise from the petiole sheath.         -   Time to flower.—Plants start flowering about six months             after planting rooted tissue-cultured plantlets.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Spathes generally maintain white             color for more than three weeks on the plant.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet, pleasant.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About             1 cm. Shape: Columnar. Color: Close to 155A.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 13.4 cm. Width: About 5.1 cm. Shape:             Elliptic. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Oblique. Aspect: Concave.             Texture, front and rear surfaces: Slightly leathery;             glabrous and smooth. Color: When developing front surface:             155C. When developing, rear surface: 157B. Fully developed,             front surface: 155C. Fully developed, rear surface: 155C;             towards center, 157B.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 6.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm. Shape:             Columnar with obtuse apex. Color, immature: 158B to 158C.             Color, mature: Between 158B to 158C to 160D.         -   Flowers.—Quantity per spadix: About 120. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Shape: Rounded. Color: 158D. Staminate flowers:             Anther color: 158D. Amount of pollen: Moderate to abundant.             Pollen color: 159D. Pistillate flowers: Shape Conical;             pistillate flowers extend beyond the staminate flowers.             Stigma color: 158B to 158C. Ovary color: 158B to 158C.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 34.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Aspect:             Erect to about 10° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Color:             137B.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Spathiphyllum. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from 14 to 27° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Junior’, as illustrated and described. 